Hopper-feed for woodworking-machines.



A. E. FOLSOM. HOPPER FEED FOR WOODWORKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION m'zb' um. 4, 191 r 1,302,649. v Patented May 6,1919.

3 SHEEIS-SHEET I.

nonms PETERS co.,pnom4.lruo.1 WASHINGTUN. o. c.

A. E. FOLSOM. HOPPERFEED FOR WOODWORKING MACHINES.

APPucM'on FILED JAN. 4, 1917.

1,302,649. Patented May 6, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fame/afar A. E. FOLSOIVIL HOPPER FEED FOR WOODWORKING MACHINES.

Patented May 6, 1919s:

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. 191?.

11 ll STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. FOLSOM, 0F WINGHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM M.

WHITNEY, OF WINCHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOPPER-FEED FOR WOODWORKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed January 4, 1917. Serial No. 140,630.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. FoLso vr, a citizen of the United States,residing at W'inchendon, county of \Vorcester, and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hopper-Feeds forWoodworking-Machines, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters onthe drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to wood werkingmachines, and more particularly to such machines known as surfaceplaners.

In machines of this type, it is usual to provide a cutter for actingupon the work and to feed the work to the cutter by means of feed rollsrotated at such a speed that the wooden pieces to be planed may haveimparted thereto a substantially smooth surface. Since the planingcutter moves in a circular arc, and the wooden pieces move in arectilinear path, there is a tendency to produce a series of smallridges and alternating depressions on the surface of the wooden pieces,and these will be more or less apparent according to the relative speedof the cutters and pieces being planed. For the best results the speedof the wooden pieces past the cutting station should be such that theseridges and depressions shall be small and not prominently apparent, andto this end it is the common practice to rotate the feed rollersrelatively slower than the cutters, yet not so slow as to materiallyinterfere with economic production.

The feed rollers are usually of the sectiona] type, each section ofwhich is yieldingly mounted for automatic movement toward the work orthe opposite feed roll, so that should a piece be fed to the cutters orplaner knives and pass from between the feed rolls before the next pieceenters be tween the rollers, the sectionpf the opposed feed rollers movetoward each other, and must be separated by the following piece to beplaned which will require to be pushed in the line of feed. In orderalsothat the planer knives may actupon the surface of the piecessuccessively without danger of chipping or splintering, it is desirablethat the pieces be fed to the knives in a direction diagonal to thegrains of the wood, or, where the grain runs longitudinally of thepieces, diagonally to the direction of feed. An important feature of thepresent invention, therefore, consists of a hopper for holding aplurality of pieces to be planed and a smooth surfaced belt having asurface speed greater than that of the feed rolls for taking the piecessuccessively from the hopper and delivering them in a diagonal directionto the feed rolls. By the use of a smooth surfaced belt, the pieces tobe planed may enter the control of the more slowly moving feed rolls bywhich. they are passed to the cutters, without interrupting thecontinuous movement of the feed belt, because the latter may move freelybeneath the piece Without effecting its movement by the feed rolls. At

such times, however, it is desirable that the weight or pressure of thepiece upon the smooth surface of the belt may be relieved in order tolessen the friction that would otherwise occur to the detriment to therelatively fast moving belt.

Another important feature of the present invention, therefore, consistsin mounting a pair of the feed rolls in such relation that, when theyengage the piece delivered to them by the smooth surfaced belt, theywill tend to lift or raise the wooden piece sufficiently to relieve thebelt of excessive friction.

Still another feature of the invention consists in a hopper forcontaining a series of superposed pieces to be planed and holding themin a diagonal position relatively to the feed movement, the effect beingthat when the lowermost piece of the series is moved by thebelt intocontrol of the feed rolls, the next piece will be moved with its leadingend overlapping side by side the trailing end of the preceding piece.

The above and other features of the invention will be hereinafterdescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings showing one goodpractical form of the invention, and then be definitely set forth by theclaims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view showing sui'licient portions ofa surface planer to make clear the application of the present inventionthereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown byFig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4L and 5 arerdiagranmiatic views showing by Fig. 3 a piece tobe planed being fed by the rapidly moving belt, by Fig. 4

the same piece and its relation to the belt and feed rolls as it entersthe control of the latter, and by Fig. 5 the same-piece after it hasfinally entered under the full control of the feed rolls.

The machine frame 1 may be of any desired form or character for thesuitable support of the operating parts. Mounted in suitable bearings 2supported by the machine frame is a planing cutter 3 c rrying the usualknives 1 for acting upon the surface of the work. These parts, as wellas the adjusting features for changing the position'of the planing orsurfacing cutter 3, may all be as usual in this class of machines, andbeing well understood by those skilled in the art, need no furtherelucidation.

Rising from the machine frame are the supports 5 in which is mountedtransversely of the machine frame, the bar or rod 6. A sleeve 7 issustained by the bar or rod 6 and is adjustably held thereto by suitablemeans such as the set screws 8, the construction being such that byproper manipulation of the set screws 8, the sleeve 7 may be adjusted todifferent positions transversely of the machine. Secured to or formed aspart of the sleeve 7 is a bearing or sleeve 9, Fig. 2, sub stantially atright angles to the sleeve 7, and secured in said hearing by suitablemeans such as the screws 11 is the pin 10, which also passes looselythrough lugs 12 projecting from the hopper 13. V

The present invention contemplates that the hopper 13 be adjustablerelative to its supports, for a purpose that will presently appear, andto this end the hopper 13 has adjustably threaded in a lug 14 thereof,an adjusting screw 15, the lower end whereof rests upon the upper end ofthe pin 10, and is provided with a lock or set nut 16, the constructionbeing such that by turning the adjusting screw 15 the hopper may beraised or lowered and held in adjusted position. The amount of suchadjustment is dependent upon the difference between the length of thebearing 9 and the distance between the lugs 12.

When the hopper is in operative position as indicated by full lines,Fig. 1, an adjusting screw 17 bears upon an abutment 18 secured to themachine frame 1. From the construction described it will be noted thatthe hopper may be moved to operative position,'as indicated in fulllines, Fig. 1, or by turning it up, it may be placed in an inoperativeposition, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2. In moving it to itsinoperative position the bar or rod 6 may be turned in its bearings 5,or the screws 8 may be loosened as the hopper be turned about the rod 6.

The hopper 13 is of the open bottom type and has two walls which aresecured together at substantially right angles, as shown, theconstruction being such that wooden pieces 19, which may be ofrectangular shape, may be positioned by the hopper relative to the lineof feed by placing the ends of the pieces against one wall and the sidesagainst the other.

As hereinbefore indicated, it is desirable that the wooden pieces bepresented diagonally to the line of feed, and to this end the hopper 13is adapted to be turned into the desired position about the axis of thepin 10 as a center. Usually the hopper will remain in adjusted angularposition due to the weight of parts, but if desired, means such as theset screw 20, may be employed to secure it in such position.

Mounted in suitable bearings 21 carried by the machine frame is a roller22 about which passes the endless belt 23 having a smooth uninterruptedsurface which travels beneath the hopper 13, the other turn of the beltbeing supported by a roller 24. The roller 24 is preferably mounted insliding boxes 25 carried in slots 26 formed on a supporting frame 27pivotally connected at 28 to the machine frame or a part, such as thewedge piece 29, carried by the frame. A suitable adjusting screw 30serves to adjust the roller 24 to take up any objectionable slack in thebelt 23.

It is sometimes desirable to adjust the upper run of the smooth surfacedbelt 23 to facilitate placing the wooden pieces on the belt for movementto the hopper, and in the present instance of the invention the frame 27has secured thereto preferably by pivotal connections 32, the yoke 31into the socket 33 of which extends the upper end 34 of an adjustingstem 35, the lower end of which is threaded into a support 36,preferably mounted to rock in brackets 37 projecting from the machineframe. From the construction described, it will be obvious that byrotating the stem by the hand-wheel 38 the outer portion of the smoothsurfaced belt 23 may be apjn'opriately raised or lowered to facilitatethe work of the attendant in placing the wooden pieces on the upper runof the smooth surfaced belt for transmission to the hopper 13, and whenin adjusted position may be locked by a set screw 39 or other suitablemeans.

The wooden pieces are usually placed upon the front portion of the upperrun of the smooth surfaced belt by an attendant who guides them in a.general direction to be carried to the hopper by the belt, or he mayreach over the belt and place the pieces directly in the hopper. Toavoid injury to the attendant a guard piece -10 is secured to the frame27 in front of the roller 24 and belt 23.

From the construction thus far disclosed, it will be seen that pieces ofwood placed in or carried to the hopper 13 by the belt, will bepositioned by the hopper diagonally to the line of feed, and since thebelt is below the open bottom of the hopper the wooden pieces will betaken one after the other by the smooth surfaced belt and be by itdelivered to the feed rolls. as will more fully appear.

Located between the hopper 13 and the cutter 3 are the feed rolls. Inthe present instance of the invention two pairs of feed rolls are shown,each comprising an upper feed roll and a lower feed roll. These may beof usual construction and be mounted and rotated in usual manner. Asindicated in Fig. 1, the upper feed rolls 41 and 42 are mounted insuitable boxes upon which rests the yoke 44 normally under the influenceof a spring acting to forcibly depress the upper feed rolls. In thepresent invention the spring 45 is mounted on a rod 46, the upper end ofthe spring bearing upon a fixed abutment 47 and the lower end upon aplate 48 connected to the lower end of the rod 46. To adjust the springtension, a hand wheel 49 is threaded to the upper end of the rod 46 andbears upon the yoke 44, suitable lock nuts 50 being employed to lock theparts in adjusted position.

The lower feed rolls 51 and 52 are carried in boxes mounted in thesupport 53 or other suitable sustaining means carried by the machineframe, and means such as the adjusting bolts 54 serve to adjust thelower feed rolls to place their top feeding surfaces in a plane slightlyabove the plane of the smooth surfaced belt 23. The upper and lower feedrolls may be rotated by any suitable means and caused to rotate inunison by idle gear connections, such as at 55.

As hereinbefore noted, it is a purpose of the invention that the smoothsurfaced belt 23 shall be moved at a greater surface speed than thesurface speed of the feed rolls, and to this end any suitable means maybe employed. In the present instance, however, the roller 22 is drivenby a multiplying train of gears 56, 57 from the driving means, such asthe gear 58, the construction being such that the feed roll will bedriven at the appropriate slower speed and the smooth surfaced belt willbe driven at a relatively higher speed.

From the construction described it will be apparent that as the leadingend of the wooden piece to be planed passes between the feed rolls, itsleading end will be slightly raised and this lifting action of the feedrolls will be emphasized as the wooden piece passes fully between thebite of the upper and lower feed rolls. This action is well indic atedby Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 8 the wooden piece 19 is shown as resting uponthe smooth surfaced belt and starting from the hopper in the directionof feed movement. As the leading end of the wooden strip enters betweenthe first pair of feed rolls its leading end is slightly raised, therebyrelieving the more rapidly moving smooth surfaced belt from excessivefriction and further emphasizing this action as the wooden piece 19passes fnlly between the bite and into the control of the upper andlower feed rolls.

This relief from friction which the rapidly moving belt experiences isan important feature of the invention as it enables a rapidly movingsmooth surfaced belt to be employed for rapidly delivering wooden piecesto the more slowly moving feed rolls without experiencing destructivewear when the wooden piece is retarded by the feed roll control. Afurther feature of the invention proposes that when the wooden strip hasbeen moved in the line of feed so thatits leading end enters between thebite of the second pair of feed rolls, the belt be further relieved frominjurious frictional engagement with the wooden piece, and to this endthe axis of th lower feed roll of the second pair, such as 42, 52, isplaced slightly nearer the smooth surfaced belt, the effect being thatas the end of the wooden piece passes between the second pair of feedrolls, the tendency is to lift the wooden piece and lessen the frictionon the belt 23. This is graphically shown by Fig. 5 which is somewhatexaggerated to make clear this feature of the invention.

From the construction described as a good form of the present invention,it will be seen that the wooden pieces are adapted to be received by thehopper 13 and positioned there by in a diagonal relation to the line offeed, the lowermost piece resting on the smooth surfaced belt 23. Thehopper being adjusted the proper distance above the belt 23 to permitthe lowermost wooden piece to pass along with the belt, the piece willbe rapidly moved toward the feed rolls while diagonally related theretoand then the more slowly moving feed rolls take control and reduce thespeed of feed. At this time the rapidly mov ing belt moves under thewooden strip and excessive or objectionable frictional wear is preventedby the lifting action of the feed rolls upon the wooden piece. As thenext wooden piece in the hopper drops upon the smooth surfaced belt, itwill be moved rapidly forward in the line of feed to cause the leadingend of the second piece to overlap the trailing end of the precedingpiece, the effect being that the feed roll does not drop as the firstpiece passes from between the first pair of rolls in the line of feed,but

one piece may be caused to overtake and noye along the preceding stripsubstantially as lndicated in Fig. 1. The diagonal feed is alsodesirable in presenting the strips or wooden pieces to the cutter in aposition not liable to cause splintering of the wooden pieces or strips.

What is claimed is:

V 1. In a surface planing machine, the combination of a cutter foracting upon the surface of Wooden strips, feed rolls for feeding thestrips to the cutter, a hopper for holding a series of wooden strips indiagonal relation to the axis of the feed rolls, and a smooth surfacedbelt for taking the wooden strips successively from the hopper and moving them to the feed rolls in diagonal relation thereto.

2. In a surface planing machine, the combination of a cutter for actingupon the surface of wooden strips, feed rolls for feeding the strips tothe cutter, a hopper for holding a series of wooden strips in diagonalrelation to the axis of the feed rolls, a smooth surfaced belt forfeeding the wooden strips in succession from the hopper and moving themin diagonal relation to the feed rolls, and means for moving the belt ata greater surface speed than the feed rolls to cause the leading end ofa succeeding strip being fed from the hopper by the rapidly moving beltto overlap the trailing end of a preceding strip being fed by the feedrolls.

3. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a cutterto act upon the surface of wooden strips, feed rolls for feeding stripsto the cutter, a hopper for holding a series of wooden strips indiagonal relation to the feed rolls, a smooth surfaced belt on which thelowest wooden strip of the series rests, and means for moving the smoothsurfaced belt at greater surface speed than the feed rolls to feed awooden strip to the feed rolls in diagonal relation thereto with its endoverlapping the trailing end of the preceding strip.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a smoothsurwooden strips to the feed rolls in a diagonal relation thereto withthe leading endof one strip extending toward the feed rolls be yond thetrailing end of a preceding strlp.

5. In a wood planing machine, the combination of a planing cutter, ahopper for containing wooden pieces to be planed, a smooth surfacedbelt'for feeding the wooden pieces successively from the hopper, upperand lower feed rolls between the smooth surfaced belt and planing cutterfor gripping a wooden piece delivered thereto by the smooth surfacedbelt, the gripping surfaces of the feed rolls acting to lift theadvancing end of the wooden pieces to relieve friction between thesmooth surface belt and wooden piece, and means for giving greatersurface speed to the smooth surfaced belt than to the feed rolls.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination of a cutter,a hopper, a smooth surfaced belt supported below the hopper, two pair offeed rolls between the belt and cutter, each pair comprising an upperand a lower feed roll, means for rotating the feed rolls, means forimparting a surface speed to the belt greater than the surface speed ofthe feed rolls, and means for supporting the feed rolls with the axis ofthe lower feed roll of one pair in a vertical plane nearer the smoothsurfaced belt than the vertical plane passing through the axis of theupper feed roll of the same pair that the pressure on the belt of thewood piece to be planed may be relieved as the piece passes between thefeed rolls.

7. In a planing machine, the combination of a cutter, a hopper forcontaining a plurality of pieces to be treated by the cutter, a feedbelt below the hopper having a smooth unobstructed surface for carryingthe pieces from the hopper, upper and lower feed rolls between thehopper and cutter mounted with the axis of the lower feed roll in avertical plane nearer the belt than the vertical plane passing throughthe axis of the upper feed roll that the pressure of the piece upon thesmooth surfaced belt may be relieved as the piece passes between the nipof the feed rolls, and means for operating the belt at a greater surfacespeed than the feed rolls.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a cutter,a hopper for containing a plurality of pieces to be treated by thecutter, a smooth surfaced feed belt for feeding the pieces from thehopper toward the cutter, and means between the belt and cutter forretarding the speed of the pieces as they are successively fed by thesmooth surfaced feed belt toward the cutter and relieving the belt fromthe pressure of said pieces as they are retarded to prevent excessivewear of the belt.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a cutter,feed rolls for feeding wooden pieces to the cutter, a hopper forcontaining a plurality of wooden pieces diagonally arranged withrelation to the axis of the feed rolls, means for adjusting the hopperfor changing the diagonal relation of the wooden pieces and feed rolls,and a smooth surfaced belt to which the wooden pieces are successivelydelivered in diagonal relation to the feed movement of the belt, andmeans for moving the smooth surfaced feed belt at a higher speed thanthe surface speed of the feed rolls.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotarycutter,

feed rolls for feeding wooden pieces thereto,

a feed belt having a smooth unobstructed feed surface, a hopper forsupporting a series of wooden pieces in diagonal relation to thedirection of feed movement of the belt with the lowermost piece restingon the smooth surface of the belt, and means giving the smooth surfacedfeed belt its feed movement for feeding wooden pieces in succession tothe feed rolls.

11. In a machine of the character clescribed, the combination of arotary cutter, feed rolls for feeding wooden pieces thereto, a feed belthaving a smooth unobstructed feed surface, a hopper for supporting aseries of wooden pieces in diagonal relation to the direction of feedmovement of the belt with the lowermost piece resting on the smoothsurface of the belt, and means giving the smooth surfaced feed belt itsfeed movement for feeding wooden pieces in succession to the feed rolls,and means for adjusting the hopper to change the angular relation of thewooden pieces and feed belt.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame,a rotary cutter mounted thereon, a smooth surfaced feed belt, a hoppersupported above the smooth surfaced feed belt for containing a pluralityof wooden pieces in diagonal re lation with the axis of the cutter, feedrolls between the feed belt and cutter, two rollers about which thesmooth surfaced feed passes, a support for sustaining one of saidrollers beyond the end of the frame, and means for adjusting thevertical position of said roller to vary the inclination of the belt,and means for operating the belt.

13. In a machine of the character de-. scribed, the combination of aframe, a rotary cutter mounted thereon, a smooth surfaced feed belt, ahopper supported above the smooth surfaced feed belt for containing aplurality of wooden pieces in diagonal relation with the axis of thecutter, means for adjusting the hopper toward and from the smoothsurface of the feed belt, feed rolls between the feed belt and cutter,two rollers about which the I smooth surfaced feed passes, a support forsustaining one of the said rollers beyond the end of the frame, andmeans for adjusting the vertical position of said roller to vary theinclination of the belt, and means for operating the belt.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a smoothsurfaced feed belt, a two sided bottomless hopper for containing aseries of wooden pieces with the lowermost piece resting on the smoothsurfaced belt, a cutter, feed rolls for feeding wooden pieces from thesmooth surfaced belt to the cutter, and means for adjusting the angularrelation of the two sided hopper with respect to the lengthwisedimension of the smooth surfaced feed belt to cause the wooden pieces tobe delivered by the belt to the feed rolls at the desired angularrelation thereto.

15. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of asmoothsurfaced feed belt, for frictionally feeding a series of wooden pieces,a two sided bottomless hopper for containing wooden pieces with thelowermost piece resting on the smooth surfaced belt diagonal to the lineof feed movement of the belt, a cutter, feed rolls for feeding woodenpieces from the smooth surfaced belt to the cutter, and means foradjusting the hopper transversely of the belt and toward and from thebelt.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of acutter, feed rolls for feeding wooden pieces to the cutter, a feed belthaving a smooth unobstructed feed surface and a hopper pivotally mountedabove the feed belt for swinging movement into different positions aboutits pivotal mounting to present wooden pieces held therein at differentangles to the feed movement of the smooth surfaced belt.

17. In a machine of the character described, the combination of acutter, feed rolls for feeding wooden pieces to the cutter, a feed belthaving a smooth unobstructed feed surface and a hopper pivotally mountedabove the feed belt for swinging movement into different positions aboutits pivotal mounting to present wooden pieces held at different anglesto the feed movement of the smooth surfaced belt, and means foradjusting the position of the hopper transversely of the smooth surfacedbelt.

18. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of asmooth surfaced feed belt, a hopper, means for supporting the hopperabove the belt, said means comprising a transverse member sustained uponthe machine frame, a sleeve mounted on said member and permitting thehopper to be swung bodily upward into an inoperative position, and asleeve at 'substantially right angles to the transverse memberpermitting the angular movement of the hopper with respect to thetransverse member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR E. FOLSOM.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G."

